


Long Time, No See

by lizzybizzyzzz



Series: Precious Peter Parker, Punctured Peter Parker, and Especially Everything In-Between [24]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Dialogue Heavy, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Heaven, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mental Health Issues, Peter Parker Whump, Platonic Cuddling, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 04:37:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19221742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzybizzyzzz/pseuds/lizzybizzyzzz
Summary: Tony and Peter meet again in Heaven.-“Woah, I didn’t think this place was really real!” Peter gawks, his fingers slip through some of the white cloud-dust and his eyes go wider. “Holy cow!”"Peter, why are you here?!” Tony blurts.Peter chuckles nervously, his hand runs against his neck. His body is obviously tense. "You see, about that, Mister Stark…"





	Long Time, No See

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ashietoashes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashietoashes/gifts).



> WARNINGS IN THE TAGS!!!!!!! also mild spoiler warning :) 
> 
> Ashlyn I hope this cured you

Tony had been seeing nothing but white for awhile, yet not a white room or a house. White  _ everywhere _ like a cloud- in a place he could only assume was something he never brought himself to believe in. 

 

Time doesn’t pass, or at least, no time he feels. No aging or bodily functions ( _ although he would kill for a cheeseburger _ ). Tony’s unable to do anything but breathe in and out, something he could barely do when alive. 

 

And he thinks. There’s nothing to do  _ but _ think. It’s ironic, the second he wants to die of old age Death is right in his face and nabs his life in front of the eyes of his loved ones. He’ll never forget the choking sounds of Peter’s sobs or the barely-there press of Pepper’s lips on his cheek or the pure look of destruction on Rhodey’s face. He thinks of Morgan’s giggles and of Happy burning hot dogs, his patchwork of a family. Tony would let tears fall as he dreamt of what life he could have lived given the chance. 

 

Tony thinks he’s in Hell because Heaven would have been on earth surrounded by them. 

 

Albeit the loneliness there’s something peaceful about the nothingness. It’s just him, feeling like he’s floating. If Tony pretends hard enough he can live in the memories blurred with fantasies or his family and he can smile. 

 

“Mister Stark?” 

 

Until  _ that. _

 

Tony hasn’t heard that voice in what feels like forever. It feels like music to his ears, a wake-up call long overdue. It’s  _ his _ voice; the teenager that Tony saved the world for, essentially died to keep alive and he was  _ here  _ which had to mean- 

 

“Peter?” He turns and sees him in his glory. Baggy sweatshirt and grey sweatpants, curls fluffier than ever laid across his forehead. Tear tracks.  _ Tear tracks. _

 

The kid is in awe, running forward and Tony catches him quickly, sweeping him up so the teenager’s feet are slimming the ground. He’s bigger than last time, buffer and even a little taller. Tony buries his face in Peter’s neck and frutifully ignores the tears that slip down his cheeks. When he feels the kid do the same he can’t help but smile. 

 

“Long time no see, Mister Stark.” Peter says shakily.

 

It’s a long time before they pull away. Peter holds himself up as they both cry to each other, a reunion they deserves the first time. Tony is at a loss though, because  _ why _ is his kid here and not alive like he’d left him?

 

“Woah, I didn’t think this place was really real!” Peter gawks, his fingers slip through some of the white cloud-dust and his eyes go wider. “Holy cow!”

 

"Peter,  _ why are you here?! _ ” Tony blurts.

 

Peter chuckles nervously, his hand runs against his neck. His body is obviously tense. "You see, about that, Mister Stark…" 

 

Tony glares at the teenager before him. “Peter Benjamin Parker, why are you  _ dead _ ?” He says it without really thinking, his first mistake. He regrets the words as soon as they roll off his tongue.

 

Peter’s lip quivers and he looks so young. So painfully youthful that Tony’s heart clenches. He reaches out and rubs a thumb over Peter’s cheekbone and resting it there. They’re so close he can see the kid’s eyes grow glassy.  “I couldn’t do it without you, Mister Stark. I couldn’t, I  _ couldn’t _ -”

 

“Hey, shhh, It’s okay.” Tony coos, pulling the crying teenager into his shoulder again. “I’m not mad, kiddo. It’s alright.” 

 

“I’m sorry.” Peter whined. 

 

“None of that.” He rubs the teenager’s back soothingly. “You know I did it all for you, right. It was all for you, Pete. Every human on that earth is alive because I didn’t- because I couldn’t live without you.”

 

He sniffs, pulling away slightly and rubbing his nose. “That’s not true.” 

 

“Oh it’s  _ so _ true.” Tony retorts, giving in to the urge to ruffle the teen’s hair. “Time travel? Lightwork. Letting my daughter grow up without Peter Parker? Impossible.” 

 

Peter snorts but doesn’t reply. They’ve taken to sitting down now, Peter tucked tightly into Tony’s side as it should be. If this is another dream Tony never wants to wake up again. 

 

“It’s been so long without you, sir. Too long.” Peter suddenly says quietly. “I never got a real chance to meet Morgan. I was too busy being a brat after the funeral to actually meet anyone. No one but Rhodey and Happy really knew who I was.” 

 

“I went to Europe,” he continues, “came home and didn’t really get away from Spider-Manning. I needed to help people because I couldn’t help myself. I had no one left, Mister Stark.” 

 

Tony wants to pry so badly. Ask how the rest of everyone is but for now, he’ll hold his kid.

 

“I’ve lost everyone, sir.  _ Everyone. _ ” He chokes out. “I  _ listened _ to your heart stop.” 

 

Hearing such pained words come out of Peter’s mouth was like a punch right to the gut. Peter’s life, after all, was just a quilt of tragedy and it wouldn’t end.

 

“I couldn’t do it anymore.” 

 

Those words broke the dam. Tony nearly gave himself whiplash to look down at the teenager who was trying not to cry for the third time. He felt sick, something he couldn’t have felt in years. His paternal hormones were going off the rocks and he couldn’t help but hold Peter even tighter if possible. It was all his fault, wasn’t it? 

 

“Did you-?” Tony’s words die off. 

 

He didn’t know if he wanted to finish that sentence, doesn’t want the answer. His heart hurts so badly, tears leak out of the corners of his eyes and  _ God _ this is an emotional rollercoaster. 

 

All they have left is each other. Peter whimpers and cries and has nightmares that Tony soothes away and wipes his tears. He calls out screaming for his aunt, for Tony himself and it makes biles arise in his throat everytime. They talk, Tony tells Peter about Morgan and Peter recooperates by telling Tony about his aunt and uncle from when he was young. It’s the eye of the storm, but at least they weren’t destroyed in the finale, right?

 

It’s what Tony wanted, his kids to be safe. In a place where nothing can touch them, aren’t they? In a place where Tony can’t harbor his hurt on his daughter, isn’t she safe? Is Peter really safe here in his arms where the world shoved him into with negligence? 

 

When the teenager presses against him, eyes half-lidded and warm from drowsiness it’s when Tony feels most at ease. Maybe he was meant to live, but earth chewed him up and spit him back here where he was needed most. That’ll have to be enough. Tony smiles when Peter’s slumps over with sleep- it’s tranquil in a way life has never been.

 

They take a breath in and let one out, letting the clouds settle around them while the universe goes on.


End file.
